Futurestudio designs New York bathhouse to be both transportive and grounding

Canada's Futurestudio has designed the interiors for wellness space Othership's first location in New York City, employing a deep, earthy palette and atmospheric lighting to heighten the experience for guests.

The 9,550-square-foot (887 square metres) sauna and ice bath experience in Manhattan's Flatiron District is Othership's third outpost, following those in Toronto's Adelaide and Yorkville areas.

At Flatiron, "journeyers" have access to a spacious 640-square-foot (59-square-metre) performance sauna and ice baths for up to 16 people in a private cold sanctuary room.

There's also an amphitheatre-style tea lounge, where guests can gather around a central fireplace to socialise.

Futurestudio, led by founding principal Ali McQuaid Mitchell, designed the interiors to feel equally transportive and grounding.

In the reception area, a curtain of custom-designed patchwork textile softens the entry and blocks views from the street.

Cedar panelling behind the counter and along the corridors visually extends the sauna experience into public areas.

Narrow ceramic tiles stacked in a variety of bonds and pebbled river-stone flooring installed in the wet zones both add pattern and texture.

The saunas are designed to provide heat up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88 degrees Celsius), with aromatic snowballs providing humidity that feels like 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius). The custom-designed ice baths are kept as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero degrees Celsius).

Between sessions, guests are encouraged to relax and converse in the 700-square-foot (65-square-metre) tea lounge on bleacher-style seating around a full-height central fireplace.

A halo-shaped light, custom-designed by Futurestudio and Anony, circles the stack and shifts colours to mimic sunrise, sunset and moonlight.

"At Othership, every element harmonises to support the founders' vision of redefining wellness through immersive and connecting experiences," said McQuaid Mitchell.

The tradition of hot and cold bathing dates back to the Roman period, and is said to bring about an array of health benefits.

"As a society, we're starting to think much more about how much our emotional state impacts not only our physical health, but day-to-day life," said Robert Bent, co-founder and CEO of Othership. "Othership's unique take on hot and cold therapy has helped over 200,000 people de-stress and transform their relationships."

Spa and bathing experiences are gaining popular as social spaces in New York City, offering an alternative to bars and restaurants.

"People are tired of going to a bar or restaurant in order to have a social night out; there needs to be a better way," said Amanda Laine, Othership co-founder and lead facilitator. "People want to reconnect with themselves, relax, drop their guard, and feel safe."

Another brand, Bathhouse, recently opened a second location – also in the Flatiron District – following its Brooklyn venue in a converted soda factory that was shortlisted for leisure and wellness interior of the year at Dezeen Awards 2020.

In other parts of the world, bathhouses with notable interiors include a space in Tokyo designed as a contemporary take on a traditional sento, and a white marble mikveh used by Mexico City's Orthodox Jewish community.

The photography is by Ian Patterson.

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